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Natural Awakenings National

April 15: The Places Each Taxpayer Dollar Goes

In a typical year, before figuring in recent bailouts and stimulus spending, the federal government generally allocates citizen tax dollars as follows:

-- 21-22 cents each is gobbled up by Social Security,  Medicare and other health programs, and defense,  totaling two-thirds of each tax dollar.
-- 11 cents goes to safety-net programs, such as earned  income credits and school lunches.
-- 8 cents pays for interest on the national debt.
-- 6 cents benefits federal retirees and veterans.
-- 3 cents funds scientific and medical research.
-- 2 cents educates our children.
-- 1 penny aids people in other countries.

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